The senior football championship reaches a critical stage this weekend as the race for places in the knockout stages heats up.Champions Garrycastle cemented their quarter-final spot last weekend when they dished out a 1-13 to 0-3 Division 2 hammering to 2008 winners Castledaly, and their near-neighbours Athlone will join them in the knockout stages on Friday night if they can overcome a struggling Coralstown/Kinnegad side who have lost their first three outings.With two wins each from their first three games, Maryland, Killucan and Tubberclair are also in contention in Division 1. Maryland meet Killucan, while Tubberclair take on St. Loman's who, like Coralstown/Kinnegad, have yet to register a win.In Division 2, Mullingar Shamrocks and The Downs are fancied to join Garrycastle in the knockout stages, and their meeting on Monday evening should attract a sizeable crowd to Cusack Park. The other game in the group sees St. Malachy's and former kingpins Tyrrellspass meet in a proverbial relegation battle.